As a book lover—especially cookbooks—I pondered doing a baking-book take on the controversial New York Times’ 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. So I’ll ask the question:
What are your favorite baking books that have been published this century?
I’d love to hear from you: What baking books do you cook from again and again? Or maybe which books inspire you or taught you the most? Which books changed how you (and others) bake?
Erin Jean McDowell’s The Book on Pie, Maurizio Leo’s TPL, Claire saffritz “Dessert Person”, Rosetta Costantino “Southern Italian Desserts”, Rose Levy Berenbaum anything, but particularly “the Pie and Pastry Bible”.
Here in Ireland, I love the baking books that come from Ballymalloe , especially Rachel Allen. Her instructions are simple and to the point and always works.
Crumb by Ruby Tandoh was my first baking book, and it taught me that nothing is impossible and to bake with confidence. I also love Dorie Greenspan's Baking with Dorie.
Foundational books: Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice and Bakewise by Shirley Corriher. Otherwise, I keep returning to Sweet, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, and all of Joanne Chang's books--Flour, Flour Too, Baking with Less Sugar, and Pastry Love. I also feel like David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop deserves a spot for its excellent ice cream recipes.
Probably alone with these choices: During the years that I had to cook for my family, The Better Homes and Gardens red checkered cookbook circa 1968, and the 1970s BHG recipe cards were invaluable. I still have them. I knew nothing about shopping for food, preparing food, or eating together around a family table, so having clear directions about food selection, clear information about meats and poultry, and photos with step by step instructions as well as the finished dish were a must. Some of us need the basics.
Starting with the classics: anything by Lenôtre for classic French formulas for all manner of cakes, fillings, buttercream, etc etc etc. Among the modern books: Violet Bakery by Claire Ptak, Sweet by Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, Melissa Funkweller’s recent baking book, anything by Dorie Greenspan and Alice Medrich’s Flavour Flours.
Definitely Baking with Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, which has incredible clarity in instruction (I started it not being more than a decent baker and eventually put four different recipes together to make my brother-in-law’s wedding cake!) Also The Last Course by Claudia Fleming, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention most of Martha Stewart’s baking books for their detail. Now I primarily bake GF so as someone with celiac I would include Canelle et Vanille Bakes Simple on *any* list. Those recipes are excellent. And if you didn’t know they were GF, you wouldn’t know by tasting.
I've loved A GOOD BAKE by Melissa Weller and BAKING AT THE 20th CENTURY CAFE by Michelle Polzine. While I've found this one to be more challenging for new bakers, Jacquy Pfeiffer's THE ART OF FRENCH PASTRY is a hidden gem in the cookbook world.
Erin Jean McDowell’s The Book on Pie, Maurizio Leo’s TPL, Claire saffritz “Dessert Person”, Rosetta Costantino “Southern Italian Desserts”, Rose Levy Berenbaum anything, but particularly “the Pie and Pastry Bible”.
Here in Ireland, I love the baking books that come from Ballymalloe , especially Rachel Allen. Her instructions are simple and to the point and always works.
Crumb by Ruby Tandoh was my first baking book, and it taught me that nothing is impossible and to bake with confidence. I also love Dorie Greenspan's Baking with Dorie.
Foundational books: Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice and Bakewise by Shirley Corriher. Otherwise, I keep returning to Sweet, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, and all of Joanne Chang's books--Flour, Flour Too, Baking with Less Sugar, and Pastry Love. I also feel like David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop deserves a spot for its excellent ice cream recipes.
Revisiting James Beard’s “Beard on Bread.” It’s what got me into bread making.
Probably alone with these choices: During the years that I had to cook for my family, The Better Homes and Gardens red checkered cookbook circa 1968, and the 1970s BHG recipe cards were invaluable. I still have them. I knew nothing about shopping for food, preparing food, or eating together around a family table, so having clear directions about food selection, clear information about meats and poultry, and photos with step by step instructions as well as the finished dish were a must. Some of us need the basics.
Let’s not forget Maida Heatter. Still making and loving her recipes. Her poppy seed cake is a family favorite.
Peter Reinhart's and Rose Berenbaum are favorites of mine.
The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Berenbaum
Starting with the classics: anything by Lenôtre for classic French formulas for all manner of cakes, fillings, buttercream, etc etc etc. Among the modern books: Violet Bakery by Claire Ptak, Sweet by Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, Melissa Funkweller’s recent baking book, anything by Dorie Greenspan and Alice Medrich’s Flavour Flours.
Amazing, thank you for including me, and seriously good company!!
Definitely Baking with Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, which has incredible clarity in instruction (I started it not being more than a decent baker and eventually put four different recipes together to make my brother-in-law’s wedding cake!) Also The Last Course by Claudia Fleming, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention most of Martha Stewart’s baking books for their detail. Now I primarily bake GF so as someone with celiac I would include Canelle et Vanille Bakes Simple on *any* list. Those recipes are excellent. And if you didn’t know they were GF, you wouldn’t know by tasting.
I've loved A GOOD BAKE by Melissa Weller and BAKING AT THE 20th CENTURY CAFE by Michelle Polzine. While I've found this one to be more challenging for new bakers, Jacquy Pfeiffer's THE ART OF FRENCH PASTRY is a hidden gem in the cookbook world.